Location-based authentication scheme

Abstract

Technologies are generally described for a location-based authentication scheme. In some examples, a method performed under control of a server may include receiving a first notification of a first use of an application, determining a first location of a first device corresponding to the first use, receiving a second notification of a second use of the application, determining a second location of a second device corresponding to the second use, determining whether the second location is within a predetermined range from the first location, and enabling execution of the second use in response to determining that the second location is within the predetermined range from the first location.

1 . A method performed under control of a server, comprising:
 receiving a first notification of a first use of an application;   determining a first location of a first device corresponding to the first use;   receiving a second notification of a second use of the application;   determining a second location of a second device corresponding to the second use;   determining that the second location is within a predetermined range from the first location;   enabling execution of the second use; and   responsive to determination that the second location is not within the predetermined range from the first location, providing the second device with a notice suggesting purchase of the application.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first use includes initially downloading the application from the server to the first device, initially installing the application on the first device, or initially executing the application on the first device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second use includes executing the application on the second device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 registering the first location.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining of the first location includes identifying a first GPS (Global Positioning System) coordinate of the first device when receiving the first notification, and the determining of the second location includes identifying a second GPS (Global Positioning System) coordinate of the second device when receiving the second notification, and
 wherein the determining whether the second location is within the predetermined range from the first location includes calculating a distance between the first location and the second location based at least in part on the first GPS coordinate and the second GPS coordinate, and determining whether the distance is within the predetermined range.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining of the first location includes identifying first cell information of a cellular network accessed by the first device when receiving the first notification, and the determining of the second location includes identifying second cell information of the cellular network accessed by the second device when receiving the second notification, and
 wherein the determining whether the second location is within the predetermined range from the first location includes calculating a distance between the first location and the second location based at least in part on the first cell information and the second cell information, and determining whether the distance is within the predetermined range.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining of the first location includes identifying a first cell of a cellular network in which the first device is located when receiving the first notification, and the determining of the second location includes identifying a second cell of the cellular network in which the second device is located when receiving the second notification, and
 wherein the determining whether the second location is within the predetermined range from the first location includes determining whether the first cell and the second cell are the same cell.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining of the first location includes identifying a first Wi-Fi access point accessed by the first device when receiving the first notification, and the determining of the second location includes identifying a second Wi-Fi access point accessed by the second device when receiving the second notification, and
 wherein the determining whether the second location is within the predetermined range from the first location includes determining whether the first Wi-Fi access point and the second Wi-Fi access point are the same Wi-Fi access point.   
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 monitoring movement of the second device after enabling the execution of the second use;   determining whether the second device has moved beyond the predetermined range during the execution of the second use; and   disabling the execution of the second use in response to determining that the second device has moved beyond the predetermined range.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second device is identical to the first device. 
     
     
         12 . A method performed under control of a device, comprising:
 registering a first location;   receiving a request to authorize execution of an application;   determining a second location of the device;   determining that the second location is within a predetermined range from the first location;   authorizing execution of the application; and   issuing a notice suggesting purchase of the application when determining that the second location is not within the predetermined range from the first location.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first location is a location of the device when at least one of initially downloading the application from a server to the device, initially installing the application on the device, or initially executing the application on the device is performed. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving information regarding the first location from a server.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the determining of the second location includes identifying a GPS (Global Positioning System) coordinate of the device when receiving the request, and
 wherein the determining whether the second location is within the predetermined range from the first location includes calculating a distance between the first location and the second location based at least in part on the GPS coordinate, and determining whether the distance is within the predetermined range.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the determining of the second location includes identifying cell information of a cellular network accessed by the device when receiving the request, and
 wherein the determining whether the second location is within the predetermined range from the first location includes calculating a distance between the first location and the second location based at least in part on the cell information, and determining whether the distance is within the predetermined range.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the determining of the second location includes identifying a second cell of a cellular network in which the device is located when receiving the request, and
 wherein the determining whether the second location is within the predetermined range from the first location includes determining whether the second cell and a first cell associated with the first location are the same cell.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the determining of the second location includes identifying a second Wi-Fi access point accessed by the device when receiving the request, and
 wherein the determining whether the second location is within the predetermined range from the first location includes determining whether the second Wi-Fi access point and a first Wi-Fi access point associated with the first location are the same Wi-Fi access point.   
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 monitoring movement of the device after authorizing the execution of the application;   determining whether the device has moved beyond the predetermined range during the execution of the application; and   disabling the execution of the application in response to determining that the device has moved beyond the predetermined range.   
     
     
         21 . A server for providing location-based authentication, comprising:
 an input receiving unit configured to receive a first notification of a first use of an application and a second notification of a second use of the application;   a location determination unit configured to determine a first location of a first device corresponding to the first use and to determine a second location of a second device corresponding to the second use;   an authentication unit configured to authorize execution of the second use based at least in part on the first location and the second location; and   a notice issuing unit configured to issue a notice suggesting purchase of the application when the authentication unit determines not to authorize the execution of the second use.   
     
     
         22 . The server of  claim 21 , wherein the first use includes initially downloading the application from the server to the first device, initially installing the application on the first device, or initially executing the application on the first device. 
     
     
         23 . The server of  claim 21 , wherein the second use includes executing the application on the second device. 
     
     
         24 . The server of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a location registration unit configured to register the first location.   
     
     
         25 . The server of  claim 21 , wherein the location determination unit is further configured to identify a first GPS (Global Positioning System) coordinate of the first device when the input receiving unit receives the first notification and identify a second GPS (Global Positioning System) coordinate of the second device when the input receiving unit receives the second notification, and
 wherein the authentication unit is further configured to authorize the execution of the second use when a distance between the first location and the second location calculated based on the first GPS coordinate and the second GPS coordinate is within a predetermined range.   
     
     
         26 . The server of  claim 21 , wherein the location determination unit is further configured to identify first cell information of a cellular network accessed by the first device when the input receiving unit receives the first notification and identify second cell information of the cellular network accessed by the second device when the input receiving unit receives the second notification, and
 wherein the authentication unit is further configured to authorize the execution of the second use when a distance between the first location and the second location calculated based on the first cell information and the second cell information is within a predetermined range.   
     
     
         27 . The server of  claim 21 , wherein the location determination unit is further configured to identify a first cell of a cellular network in which the first device is located when the input receiving unit receives the first notification and identify a second cell of the cellular network in which the second device is located when the input receiving unit receives the second notification, and
 wherein the authentication unit is further configured to authorize the execution of the second use when the first cell and the second cell are the same cell.   
     
     
         28 . The server of  claim 21 , wherein the location determination unit is further configured to identify a first Wi-Fi access point accessed by the first device when the input receiving unit receives the first notification and identify a second Wi-Fi access point accessed by the second device when the input receiving unit receives the second notification, and
 wherein the authentication unit is further configured to authorize the execution of the second use when the first Wi-Fi access point and the second Wi-Fi access point are the same Wi-Fi access point.   
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The server of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a location monitoring unit configured to monitor movement of the second device when the authentication unit authorizes the execution of the second use,   wherein the authentication unit is further configured to determine whether the second device has moved beyond the predetermined range during the execution of the second use, and disable the execution of the second use in response to determining that the second device has moved beyond the predetermined range.   
     
     
         31 . The server of  claim 21 , wherein the second device is identical to the first device. 
     
     
         32 . The server of  claim 21 , wherein the server provides the application to the first device and the second device. 
     
     
         33 - 41 . (canceled)